“The realized (deficit) is better than that of the same period of 2017 when it reached Rp54.7 trillion or 0.40 percent of the GDP,” Sri Mulyani was quoted by Antara News s telling the press conference on the realization of the 2018 state budget here on Monday.

She made it clear that the realized deficit resulted from the difference between state revenues which stood at Rp200.1 trillion and state expenditures which reached Rp249 trillion.

“The tax receipts and non-tax state revenues grew 13.6 percent and 34 percent respectively as compared to the same period last year,” she said.

Meanwhile, the state expenditures comprised the central government`s expenditures worth Rp127.6 trillion and transfer of funds to regions and village funds worth Rp221.5 trillion, she said.

Sri Mulyani said the central government`s expenditure consisted of Rp56.2 trillion incurred by ministries and Rp72.4 trillion incurred by non-ministerial government institutions.

“The absorption of the budget fund is faster than expected as the realized expenditures of ministries and non-ministerial government institutions reached Rp43.9 trillion and Rp59 trillion respectively,” she said.

To finance the budget until the end of February 2018, the government also obtained Rp57.2 trillion in funds from loans, investment and other financing, she said.

“The primary balance (in the state budget) is also recorded at Rp14.5 trillion, lower than that of late February 2017 at Rp22.4 trillion,” she said. (T/RS5/RS1)